Envelope fastener machine



D. NovlcK 2,180,718

ENVELOPE FASTENER MACHINE Filed June 24, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 21, 1939.

INVENTOR Dan/el /Vov/c/f. I BY OMWCW- @wt ATTORNEYS Nov. 21, 1939.

F'iled June 24, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m\ l E NN m m NN 1 QN Sv. k. N m O NN@ S Qw n mw n l M @Amm w m J .l w QM O Q Nm MM as.. O Q bw. m mm Nw mm o bw S .3m m nm n Q G S o Q @A Q m, w@ Q Q X m ww Nov. 21, 1939.

D. NovlcK` ENvELoPE FASTENER MACHINE Filed June 24, v1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Dan/e/ /Vm//c/f.v

' ATTRNEYS Patented Nov. 21, 1939 ENVELOPE FASTENER Daniel Novick, Flushing, N. Y., assigner to F. L. Smithe Machine Co., Inc., .New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 24,1938, serial No. 215,551 f -fTh'e'pre-sent invention relates to a novel apparatus andv method for applying fastening devices and similar attachments to. envelopes and. the likeand is to be regarded as an improvementl upon the type of fastener-applying machine disclosed in the pending application of vAbraham Novick, Serial No. 142,393, filed May 13, 1937.

In said application a conveyor system is` dis- Hclosed for conveying into a. predetermined station position a vseries of envelopes one after another,at which station position a metal fastener is provided by means of a movable feed or supply` chute and .issecured to the envelope by a reciprocatory plunger. The fastenersare delivered to the feed chute in series from a hopper mountedV above it and, when for any reason, such as a lack of fasteners ora stoppage occurring in the chute, a fastener is not in position at its lower end ready for engagement by the lowervendv of the plunger, no fastenerwill be applied to the envelope which will then be carried on to be delivered `in an incomplete condition. It is accordingly an `object of this invention to providea signaling or indicating device which' at once. in- .dicates to the operator kof the machine when one or more envelopes passes through' the machine without'the application of a fastener thereto.

It is a further object of theinvention, to pro vide a visual indicating device in connection with the fastener f eed supply of an envelope or like fastener machine which becomes operative to n indicate to the operator of the machine a failure the chute.

Other and further objects of the invention will 'I become apparent tothose skilled in the art as -the description thereof proceeds. For a better understanding of, the invention,'however, reference is made to the following description taken in I connection with the accompanying drawings in which similar reference numerals indicate corresponding parts.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a fastener applying machine showing an embodiment of my inventionas applied thereto;

Fig. A2'is an enlargedviewin elevation of the 'ernbodimentof the invention shown in Fig. 1;

9 Claims. (Cl. 1 3) Fig. 3 is a View vsimilar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a different operative position;

Fig. 4 is a partial'sectional viewtaken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view taken through the'line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and showing the chute operating cam.

Referring first to Fig. 1 which shows my invention in connection with certain portions of the envelope fastener applying machine described in the copending application of Abraham Novck,

Serial No. 142,393, filed May 13, 1937,"said machine comprises conveyor belts I passing' over pulleys 2 and which serve to convey envelopesor" like objects into proper position under `a fastener applying plunger Awhich is reciprocated vertically ina frame 3 supported by a standard 4 which is secured to the main baseplate 5 of the machine. The main drive shaft ofthe machine and the operating `connections 4therefromto plunger A and pulley 2 are not shown herein,.be ing fully described in the aforesaid application. Also connected to the main drive shaft is a shaft 6 which carries a cam 1 which serves to operate cam- I as by a bias spring I6 andthe outer end of the lever being connected by a link I I to rocker arm 8. In the embodiment shown oneend of spring I6 isconnectedto a pin I 'I secured to bracket I5, and its other end to pin I3 secured to leverl2.'

Chute 9 is provided with a slot I9 into the upper end of which the fasteners are supplied automatically from a hopper (not shown) and through which they are transferred to the mouth at its lower end for transfer to the envelope by the lower end of plunger A which also acts asa set to rivet the prongs against the inner wall of the envelope as more fully explained in the above mentioned application. As more clearlyseen in Fig. 4, each fastener F comprises a single piece of sheet metal-having elongated tongues 2li which extend in opposite directions from a central web portion and a pair of attaching lobes 2| extendn ing from the same web preferably at right angles to its maj or axis as defined by the tongues. Each lobe has a plurality of short prongs 2id, Fig. 4, on its under surface which are forced through the' envelope wall and clenched thereto by the pressure. of the plunger A. As shown in Figs. 1

and 4, the tongues 2U extend through the slot I9 of the chute and project a substantial distance beyond its sides.

As shown in Fig. 2, I provide a feeler device 25 pivoted at 22 to the chute and comprising a finger portion 23 and a latch portion 24, the finger portion 23 being extended inwardly at 26 to provide an end portion 21 adapted to contact and be supported by the fastener tongues. Latch y`portion 24 is provided at one end with a latch or hook 23, its other end being shaped to provide an upstanding arm 29. Secured to chute 9- is a bracket 30 having an upturned end 'portion 3i Awhich is adapted to engage arm 29 (see Fig. l). Pivoted to frame 3 at 32 is a switch lever 33 havingan offset lug 34 at its lower end which -is adapted for engagement by latch 28 in a manner to be described, the upper end of lever 33 being adapted to engage and operate the switch button 35 of an electric light bulb 33 whose socket or base is secured to frame 3 as by any suitable clamp 31. Secured near the upper end of frame 3 is a bracket '33 having a` downwardly extending arm portion 39, and secured to said bracket by screw 4l! is a stop plate 4l adapted to engage lever 33 as shown in Fig. 2. Pivoted to bracket arm 39 by a screw 42 is a lever 43 whose lower end is curved to engage arm 29 of the feeler device, a tension spring'44 being connected to the upper end of the lever and to an upstanding lug on bracket 38. An adjusting screw 43 vis threaded into bracket 38 in position to engage the upper end of lever 43 and serve as a limit stop therefor.

In the operation of the device and in the position shown in Fig. l, the lower end of chute 9 has been moved to its extreme left position under the bias of spring I6 and the fastener at its end is in position to be engaged by the prongs 45 onl punch plunger A for transfer and attachment to an envelope (not shown), the envelope having been brought to proper position by the belts I, and suitable 'stops y(not shown). Immediately after transfer of the end fastener to the punch, the chute is moved toward the right by the rise portionflly of cam 'I (Fig. 5) and in the presence of a :fastener atY the end of the chute, the parts will be moved into the positions shown in Fig. 2 with end 2? of finger 23 of the feeler device resting on the tongue 29 of the fastener and being supported thereby. This keeps latch 28 cle-ar of lug 34 sothat switch lever 33 is not operated by further motion of the lower end of the chute to the right under the influence of the rise portion 48'of cam I. With lever 33 in this position the light is off and switch button 35 is in the olf position. In Fig. 2 it Will also be noted that there is a clearance spacebetween the lower end of lever 43 and arm 29 of they feeler device. If, however, a fastener is not at the end ofthe chute as it leaves the plunger and moves toward the right under the influence of cam 1, the'end portion 2l of the feeler nger will drop downr below the slot i9 of the chute causing the'latch 28 to engage with the lug 34 and as the chute approaches its extreme position to the right under the inuence of the rise portion 48 of the cam, latch 23 moves switch lever 33 to actuate the push button 35 and turn on the light. Fig. 3 shows the position of the parts described just after the switch is closed and the light warns the operator that there is a deficiency in the supply of fasteners and continued operation will cause envelopes to be passed through the machine which are lacking in fasteners. Upon the return motion of the chute under the influence of spring I6 the lower end of lever 43 comes into engagement with arm 29 to raise the feeler finger 21 above the slot in the chute so that a supply of fasteners may be supplied thereto, Lever 43 under control of spring 44 thus provides a yielding stop to restore the feeler finger to its normal position above the slot in the chute upon return of the chute to its position under plunger A as shown in Fig. 1. It is to be understood that having once been lighted due to a lack of fasteners, the light will remain on until the operator pushes button 35 and throws the switch toits o position.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish,

.however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for attaching fasteners to envelopes or like articles, the combination of a movable plunger adapted to apply the fasteners to4 the envelopes, means for feeding the fasteners to the end of said plunger, a feeler device connected to the lower end of said fastener feeding means and arranged to engage the fastener in position to be attached to the end of the plunger upon its iirstdownward movement, a signal device, and means associated with said feeler device and arranged to operate said signal device in the absence of a supply of fasteners in said fastener feeding means.

2. In a machine for attaching fasteners to envelopes or like articles, the combination of a movable plunger adapted to apply the fasteners to the envelopes, a movable chute through which the' fasteners are supplied to the end of said plunger, a feeler device connected to said chute. a signal device, an electric switch connected to said signal device, and means controlled by said feeler device for operating said electric switch in the absence of a supply of fasteners in said chute.

3. In a machine for attaching fasteners to envelopes'or like articles, the combination of a vertically movable plunger adapted to secure the fasteners to the envelopes, a movable chute through which the fasteners are supplied to the end of said plunger, means for automatically reciprocating said'chute, a feeler device connected to said chute, an electric lamp having a control switch, and means mechanically connecting said chute and said control switch in response to movement of said feeler device caused by an absence of one or more fasteners in said chute whereby movement of said chute operates said control switch to light the lamp.

4. In a machine for attaching fasteners to' envelopes, the combination of a movable plunger adapted to apply the fasteners to the envelopes, a movable chute having an elongated slot through which the ends of-the fasteners project, means for reciprocating said chute to and from a position under said plunger, a signal device, an electric switch connected to said signal device, a feeler device connected to said chute and having a finger adap-ted to resty on the'projecting end portions of the fasteners, a latch connected to said finger and means for mechanically connecting said latch and said electric switch to thereby cause the operation of. said signal device in response to a depression of said finger of the feeler device due to an absence of fasteners in said chute.

5. In a machine for attaching fasteners, the combination of a chute having a slot through which the end portions of the fasteners project, cam operated means for reciprocating said chute, an electric signal device having a switch, a lever having a portion in engagement with said switch, a feeler device having a finger adapted to rest on the projecting yends of fasteners and a latch portion adapted to engage said lever in response to the depression of said finger due to the absence of a supply of fasteners in said chute.

6. In a machine for attaching fasteners to envelopes or like articles, the combination of a vertically movable plunger adapted to secure the fasteners to the envelopes, a chute through which the fasteners are supplied to the lower end of said plunger, means for pivotally supporting said chute, spring means for'biasing the end of said chute towards the end of said plunger, a feeder device connected to said chute-and having a latch portion, a signal device having acontrol switch, an operating member for said switch having Aa lug adapted to be engaged by the latchl portion of said feeler device in response to its depression caused by the absence of fast'enersin said chute and a cam connected to said chute and having a rise portion adapted to move said switch operating member upon engagement of its lug by the latch of said feeler device. y

7. In a device for attaching fasteners to envelopes, the combination of a vertically movable plunger adapted to secure the fasteners to the envelopes, a chute having a slot through which the ends of the fasteners project, means for reciprocating said chute, a feeler device connected to said chute and having a finger adapted to rest on the projecting ends or the fasteners, a signal device having a switch, means controlled by said feeler device to operate said switch upon the depression Aof said fe'eler nger below the slot of the chute'caused by the rabsence of a supply of fasteners in said chute, and a yielding stop device to return the ieelernger to a position above the slot of the chute as the end of the chute app-roaches the plunger.

8. The arrangement defined in claim 7 in which saidstop device comprises a pivotally mounted lever and a spring connected thereto.

9. In a machine for attaching fasteners to envelopes, the combination of amovable plunger adapted to apply` the fasteners to the envelopes, amovable chute having an elongated slo-t through which one end of each of the fasteners projects, means for reciprocating said chute to and from a position below said plunger', a feeler device connected to the lower end of chute and having a portion adapted to rest upon the projecting end portions of the fasteners, a signal device and means associated with said feeler device and arranged to operate said signal device in the absence of one or more fasteners at the lower end of the chute. Y l

DANIEL NOVICK. 

